


You know I love you, right?

by Sapperjoe85



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2019-12-26 07:09:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18278309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapperjoe85/pseuds/Sapperjoe85
Summary: An AU that picks up right before the end of the movie. Nick and Judy are finally partners when a terrible accident tears them apart. Join us for a roller-coaster of emotion as our duo overcome trials and self doubt.





	1. You know you love me

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, I want to apologize to my followers for being gone for so long. I won't make excuses but just know that I haven't stopped writing. I just haven't finished anything worth publishing yet. So I hope you'll enjoy this story while I work on getting more done with the others that I know you want to see. But first, here's a note from the editor. Take it away TOG!
> 
> This was a bit of an emotional roller coaster to edit, as I was working chapter by chapter, and it’s got some poignant moments… but stick with it to the end, it’s well worth the read.  
> TOG Stamp of approval, here.  
> (\\_(\  
> (b^,^)b

“You know you love me.” 

It was only a tease. A phrase he used when she was frustrated with him, or managed to get one over on him. Just a game the two played. 

“Do I know that?” 

It wasn't supposed to be the last thing he heard her say.

“Yes, yes I do.”

For nearly a year. 

As they started to pull into the street, Judy had to slam on the brakes as a red streak passed in front of them. They shared a knowing glance as Nick flicked his aviators on and hit the button for their lights. Judy punched the gas to give chase.

That's where it all went wrong. 

As their vehicle pulled into the street, another speedster popped over the hill, slamming into the driver door. Nick had been looking out his window, keeping an eye on the red car when he suddenly felt the cruiser move beneath him. His seat belt grabbed him and held him mostly in place as the cruiser violently rolled. He wasn’t sure how many times they rolled before finally coming to a stop. At some point he hit his head and blacked out, awakening to look out his window, only to see the black-top of the street. Out the front window, the world had rotated 90 degrees. Something warm and wet dripped onto his muzzle. Trying to move his right arm, a sharp pain causes him to stop. He looks down and his arm is malformed, “broken” his brain tells him. He uses his left paw to wipe away the wet substance, pulling his paw back to see something red smeared on it. 

His vision begins to blur slightly, he looks around, trying to gain his bearings. Looking up, what should have been his left, he can see Judy’s form, hanging limply by her seat belt. Her door smashed into her side, holding her in place.

_ ‘Help.’  _ He thinks.  _ ‘I need to help her.’ _

His vision is blurring again, longer this time. Still using his left paw, he reaches towards the radio on their dash. It takes a moment for him to find the mic and bring it towards him. Hoping he’s keyed it, he says the only thing he can before blacking out again.

“Help, Judy, hur-”

‘ _ Beep… Beep… Beep…’ _

Nick slowly cracked his eyes open to a room that had the lights turned down low. 

_ ‘Where am I?’ _

The smell of sanitizers and the feel of scratchy sheets had him scanning his surroundings more urgently. It didn't take long for him to realize he was in the hospital. But why? Searching his fuzzy mind brought bits of a story back. Red and white flashing lights, a stretcher, a tiger telling paramedics not to worry about him and focus on the rabbit. He was fine with that, but what happened to Judy? He reached for the call button on the side of the bed, only to wince and whine when his arm refused to move. He looked down and found it in a cast. Using his good arm, he pressed the button on the other side and waited for a reply as he feared the worst. After a few moments the door to the room was opened and a hare doe walked in.

Nick used the moment it took the hare to approach his bed and pull a stool out for her to stand on to assess her. She had white fur from ear tip to toe,  black wide rimmed glasses that slightly magnified her intelligent, sharp blue eyes.

“Hello, I'm Flo. I'm your nurse tonight.”

“What happened to Judy? Is she alright?” Nick quickly asked, stopping the nurse from saying more. 

“If you're referring to officer Hopps, I can tell you she's stable, nothing more. Anything else and you'll need to ask someone in the know from the ZPD.”

Nick visibly settled after hearing that, though he wasn’t clear on why he was being kept in the dark regarding his partner. He could call Clawhauser for the details. The receptionist would certainly be in the know.

“Now, I need to give you a quick examination and ask a few questions.” After checking his vitals and pupil reactions, the nurse asked him the usual battery of questions to check his memory and mental state. After passing with flying colors, she told him he suffered a concussion, lacerations to the head and a broken arm in the wreck. Refusing to answer any questions regarding Judy, she also told him it had been nearly two days since they’d arrived. 

“The doctor will be by in the morning. I'll also place a call to your precinct to let them know you're awake.” She then pulled a plastic bag that appeared to have his uniform inside off a nearby table. “These are the personal belongings you came in with. I suggest you try and get some more rest though, it’s just past one in the morning. If you need anything, just hit the call button again.”

As soon as the nurse had stepped down from his bedside, Nick opened the bag of belongings. Searching for one thing in particular, he found it just as nurse Flo opened the door.

“Nurse?” He called, causing her to halt in the doorway and look back at him. “I don’t suppose you’d have a spare charger would you?” He asked while holding up his cellphone for her to see. She kindly smiled back before answering.

“I’ll see what I can find.” And then she left, leaving Nick alone once again. 

He set his phone down on the moving table next to the bed and checked the rest of the items in the bag. It wasn’t much, just his ruined uniform, which had thankfully been washed, and his badge. He carried no other personal items with him while on duty. Pulling the badge out, he placed the bag back on the table. Holding the thin piece of metal, he gazed upon the words imprinted upon it. Trust, Integrity, Bravery. Months ago, no one would have associated those words with him. Now, thanks to a certain grey wrecking ball, they were the core values of his existence. So he held it close, as he once again drifted back to sleep.

The next morning, he woke early to find his phone plugged in and charging. He’d have to remember to thank the nurse for that. 

Speaking of.

The door clicking open pulled his attention from the phone to the two female nurses stepping into the room. One, the hare he recognized from last night, the other a caracal cat. 

They exchanged quick pleasantries before informing him that Carol, the new nurse, would be taking over his care. Unfortunately, she also had to take her charger with her. By this time Nick’s phone had over 83% battery life and thanked her for letting him use it. After the nurses left, he powered his phone on, quickly regretting it. The number of missed calls and notifications were through the roof. He quickly dialed Clawhauser to try and figure out what was going on.

“Nick! Is that you!?” Fortunately, Clawhauser had insisted on exchanging cell numbers on Nick’s first day. It was still an hour before the chubby cheetah’s shift started.

“Yeah spots it’s me.” He quipped back.

“Oh thank heavens! I was worried you wouldn’t wake up... You kept mumbling about helping Judy every time I came to visit.” 

That last bit hit the spot.

“That’s why I’m calling. The staff here won’t tell me anything about her condition other than she’s stable. Please, tell me she’s alright?” Nick’s ears were pinned back, anxious to hear his friend was fine and they’d be back on the beat in no time.

It wasn’t meant to be.

“I’m sorry Nick. Last I heard, her vitals were stable but she had a skull fracture and still hasn’t woken up yet. The doctors say all we can do now is wait.” Nick let out a disappointed breath at the news. Visibly shrinking in on himself.

“Thanks Ben. Will you keep me up to date?” 

“Of course bud, but how are you? You’ve been out of it for two days now.”

“I’m ok, head hurts, arm’s busted, but I’ll live.”

“That’s good. They’ll want to debrief you on what happened. H-have you seen the news?” The question was added almost hesitantly. 

“No, I woke up last night and then fell back asleep. I only woke up this morning when the nurse came in. Why?” There was a nervous pause on the other end of the line before Clawhauser spoke again.

“Nick, they’re blaming  _ you _ for the wreck.”

After ending the call with Ben, Nick pulled up the news on his phone. Indeed, they were trying to blame him for the wreck and nearly killing Judy. They weren’t outright saying it was his fault, but suggesting that it happened because he was there, somehow. Deciding it wasn’t helping, he turned the news app off and started digging through his notifications. Most were voicemails from news agencies wanting to interview him. Others came from… associates. 

He checked his phone once he finished with everything and found he only had about 40% battery life left and decided to turn it off for now. He was considering paging the nurse to ask for more pain killers to help with his headache when the door opened.

A zebra carrying a food tray stepped in and sat the tray on the rolling table. Promptly turning around and leaving without saying a word. Nick just sighed, pulled the table over the bed and removed the cover on the plate. He’d never been a fan of hospital fair or cafeteria food in general. Everything was soggy and tasted funny. Having not eaten in the last two days definitely overrode any misgivings he may have had, and the food tasted especially good.

Nearly halfway through his meal the door opened again. In walked a horse with light brown fur and a blonde mane, a white mark traveling from between his nostrils up to his forehead. He wore a grey jacket and white shirt. The top button was undone and a purple tie was pulled down low. Around his neck hung a lanyard carrying a shield.

“Officer Wild?”

“Yes?”

“I’m Detective Oates from Internal Affairs. I’m here to debrief you on the accident you and Officer Hopps were in.” At the mention of IA, red flags were going up in Nick’s head. He discreetly turned his phone back on and stalled till it loaded up.

“Oates? Say... aren’t you the horse that worked with Hopps on that real estate case a while back?” Oates visibly perked up at that.

“Yeah, that was me. Worked that case from start to finish. Hopps was a good help and an eager learner, but you just can’t match experience in some cases.” Nick knew most of what Oates was saying was horse dung. Judy had told him that she was excited to work with an experienced detective at first. Only to get frustrated when she was doing all the work and learned that Oates only rode the coattails of his partners to get where he was. But it was enough of a distraction to get his phone booted up and start the voice recorder. Thank goodness he was ambidextrous.

“So detective, do I need a union rep for this interview?” 

“Oh no, of course not. I just need to know your side of what happened.”

Nick told him everything. From the briefing in the bullpen to waking up that morning. Even mentioning as much of the conversation as he could remember. He left nothing out.

“Well, I think that’ll do it Officer Wilde. I’ll just head on back to the precinct and get this statement added to the official report.” After he left, Nick stopped the recording and checked the time. It was only 9 o’clock and he still had no idea how long he would be here for. His headache from earlier was only getting worse. 

Pressing the button for the nurse, he waited for someone to come in. After a while the caracal nurse from earlier came in with a whitetail deer doe in a white coat.

“Officer Wilde, I’m Doctor Tine. I’ve been your primary doctor since you’ve arrived. How are you feeling?”

“I have a massive headache and I’m a bit sore.” Nick replied, the doctor asked the caracal to fetch some acetaminophen. She then proceeded to conduct a routine examination.

“Well, you’re still suffering from a concussion but otherwise you should be fine. We’re going to go ahead and release you to go home. I’ve already informed to your chief and you’ll be on medical leave for a couple of weeks, and then light duty. You’ll need to refrain from any physically demanding work. It’s all bed rest for you. After that you’ll be on light duty for a week so you can regain your strength enough to go back to active duty.”

“Thanks doc.” Shortly after the doctor left the nurse came back with a cup of water and two fox sized pills.

A couple of hours later and he was being wheeled out of the hospital. After waiting for the aid to disappear inside the sliding doors, he pulled his phone from his pocket, called Clawhauser to find where Judy was currently being treated. Glad she was in the same hospital he was, but in the Intensive Care Unit. He turned the phone back off to save the battery and made his way back inside the hospital towards the wing she was currently in.

Upon arrival it was easy to confirm she was here. Dozens of bunnies took up the entire space of the ICU waiting area. He glanced around and found a pair of bunnies he recognized from pictures Judy had shown him. A chunky buck with brown fur and eyes, green ‘carrot’ hat and overalls. Beside him sat a gray doe with eyes almost the same shade as Judy’s in a pink plaid shirt and a denim skirt. The moment he walked in, several ears turned towards him followed eventually by eyes. The low murmur of voices trying to keep quiet in a public area quickly went silent as he made his way towards Judy’s parents.

“Mr. and Mrs. Hopps?”

“Yes?” The matronly doe answered.

Nick opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He closed his mouth and swallowed before licking his suddenly dry lips. How would they greet him? Did they believe what the media told them about the wreck being his fault? Would they blame him for Judy’s condition? Suddenly, Judy’s mother stood and approached him.

“You’re Nick, Judy’s partner.” It wasn’t a question but a realization. Nick took a step back.

“I’m sorry.” Nick took a step back. “I shouldn’t have…” He stopped when he felt Bonnie pull him into a hug. Pulling him down so she could wrap her arms around his neck.

“It’s not your fault.” She whispered into his ear. It was all it took for the dam to break. He fell to his knees and silently wept in her arms. After a moment he pulled himself together, she released him and pulled him over to sit by them. They talked for a few minutes, updating Nick on Judy’s condition and insisting her call her Bonnie instead of Mrs. Hopps. He was Judy’s close friend after all. The whole left side of her body had been broken or bruised. The worse being the head trauma, the culprit of her current condition. When the next visitor was allowed back, Judy’s parents insisted Nick go to see her.

Seeing his partner laying on the bed like this was nearly more than he could stand. The poor rabbit’s broken body lay wrapped in bandages and casts. Tubes and wires all over her body. He took a steadying breath before stepping next to her bed. Hesitantly, he reached out and held her unbandaged paw.

“Hey, Carrots. I uh, I don’t know what to say, really.” Pausing to swallow his wrecked nerves, he gently brushed his thumb across her knuckles. “I know things seem really tough right now. But you gotta hang in there, y’know? I can’t make the world a better place without my partner out there.” He stood there for a couple of minutes. Hoping to hear her voice suddenly break through the beeping and whirring of the room. “Well, I’ll be sure to hold down the fort till you get back. I'll see you soon carrots.” After a few moments of standing in silence, he did one of the few rash things he'd ever done in his life. He leaned over her bedside and gently placed his lips to her swollen cheek. Pulling back with tears in his eyes, he croaked out his final words before leaving.    
  
“You know I love you, right?”

The only reply was the beeping of the machines.

Things happened quickly after leaving the hospital. The next day Nick was contacted by Chief Bogo about his interview with IA. 

Detective Oates had butchered his interview with Nick to throw the vulpine under the bus, painting him as a sexual predator and accusing him of distracting Hopps while she was driving. The report was released to the press before it ever made it to Bogo’s desk. When Nick finally did show, it was with his Union rep. Nick shared his recording with Bogo and was ordered to stay home until everything was resolved. He spent his time visiting Judy and her family at the hospital. 

The day after his ordeal started, the security guard tried to stop him from entering- having recognized him from the news cover which painted him in a monstrous light, only to be chastised by Bonnie. 

It still surprised Nick how kind the Hopps’ were being to him. After nearly a week, Nick was called back into Bogo’s office. Standing in front of the large door had Nick nervous. His union rep hadn’t said much over the past week other than ‘things are going in your favor’. With a deep breath he raised his paw and knocked on the door.

“Enter” came the deep, gruff voice. Nick looked up to the door knob and then back down to the arm still in the cast.

“Uh, Chief? Little help?” After hearing a groan and then a chair rolling across the floor, the sound of heavy hooves walking across the floor approached before the door was opened.

“Come in Wilde.” Nick complied, with this being his second visit to the Chief’s office since swearing in, he couldn’t help the nervous feeling. Especially considering the allegations against him. 

He felt better when the Chief politely offered to assist him up into the oversized chair.

“I’m guessing you already know why I called you in.” Bogo said after taking his own chair.

“My interview with Detective Oates.” He supplied.

“ **_Former_ ** Detective.” Bogo pointed out, which got Nick to raise his ears. “Thanks to your recording, we were able to prove Oates was out with an agenda, he was paid by someone in the media to paint you as the reason the accident occured and then ‘leak’ it to the press.”

Nick took a moment to digest this new information. It certainly caused him to release a sigh of relief. Relief that only lasted a second.

“However,” Bogo started, “city hall is in an uproar over the whole situation. Like most bureaucrats, they want the situation swept under the rug. Tomorrow I’m holding a press conference to release the details of the investigation, clearing your name. Unfortunately, it means we have to put you in the shadows for a while.”

“What do you mean by that?” Nick asked, hiding his worry, forcing himself to sound more curious than anything else.

“You’re being reassigned to the rainforest district. There’s another fox coming through the academy and has requested that district. You’ll be on medical leave for another month and then meet your new partner at the district precinct. Do you have any questions?”

“How long?” This was not what Nick had planned. He’d wanted to wait for Judy at Precinct one, where she no doubt would be reassigned once she woke up. This put that plan in jeopardy, in his mind.

“Until all this blows over, or if Hopps wakes-”

“You mean when.” Nick interrupted.

Bogo looked at him for a moment as he studied the fox’s features. Nick felt as though his soul had been clawed out and placed on display under the chief’s gaze. For so long he’d lived by the mantra of ‘never let them see they get to you’ and all that had been torn away by the thought of losing the one mammal he truly considered a friend, an undeniable, honest, friend. Bogo must have seen the desperation on his face as he released a sigh and answered in a voice Nick didn’t find entirely honest.

“Of course,  _ when _ Hopps returns. Now, the transfer has been submitted so I suggest you prepare yourself for the change of scenery.”

_ Change of scenery _ was an understatement. It wasn’t like he’d never been to the Rainforest district before. After all, he and Judy encountered Manchas here. It was more the atmosphere than anything. In Precinct One, the officers all carried themselves with a sense of pride and purpose. It gave those entering the building a sense of professionalism and duty. Precinct Four, however, was more laid back. If it weren’t for the stares he received when he first reported in, he might have thought he was at a type of social club for cops. After the initial shock of finding out a fox really was on the police force, his coworkers were more welcoming. Especially after the press conference Chief Bogo held clearing his name.

Nick spent the month on medical leave visiting Judy as often as possible. Taking turns with her mother and father, sitting and talking with her.

“So apparently, another fox joined the force. Haven’t met ‘em yet. I hope they’re as fun to talk to as you are. Even now, you’re just patiently listening to me ramble on.”

_ 'Beep... Beep... Beep...’ _

“Yeah, you’re right. I should probably keep the jokes to a minimum. At the start at least.”

_ ‘Beep... Beep... Beep…’ _   


“I hope we don’t get put on parking duty. I know the rainforest district is mostly domestic. I’ll probably get stuck trying to settle disputes and stuff. Good thing there aren’t a lot of megafauna in that area.”   


_ ‘Beep... Beep... Beep…’ _

“I’m sure your mom already told you, but, they’re having you transferred back home so they can keep an eye on you.” the fox chuckles. “I told them you were probably screaming inside your head.”

_ ‘Beep... Beep... Beep…’ _

He reaches out and takes her paw in his.

“I don’t know if I’ll get to visit you while you’re at home... I’ll be sure to stay in touch with your parents. Tell them to keep you updated on all the trouble I manage to get into.”   
_ ‘Beep... Beep... Beep...’ _   


“I’m going to miss you Judy.” His thumb brushing along the back of her unbroken paw.

**Rainforest District, Zootopia: 10 months later**

A ZPD patrol car sits just within the treeline overlooking a freeway that cut through the district. The one-way tinted windows hiding the officers inside from any who may want to eavesdrop on their conversation. While inside…

“BAH HAHAHAHAHA!” Joe watched as the red fox next to him broke down into near hysterical laughter, he himself laughing at a much calmer level. By the time Nick finally calmed down the two were breathing heavily to catch their breath.

“Please tell me she didn’t actually do that.” Nick said after finally catching his breath. His partner, a gray fox name Joseph Sapeur, or Joe as he prefered, nodded in response with the kind of smile one used for fond memories.

“Yeah, had to carry her out of the bar, put her back in the limo, rode home and then carried her back into her house.” He let out an exasperated sigh. “I swear, that cat’s going to be the death of me.”

Nick let out a snort at the comment. Joe was only a year younger than he was. When the two had first met it seemed they wouldn’t be able to get along very well. After two weeks of arguing, the precinct captain, a stag named Cornell Buckson, suggested the two settle their differences inside a ring. They went fifteen rounds, with Joe winning nine and Nick winning six. It was then that Nick learned Joe had spent twelve years in the military and was an expert in paw-to-paw combat. Nick’s street smarts were the only thing that helped him to win the few matches he had.

“Yeah, maybe Judy and I can go with you sometime. I know she likes karaoke.” With that the red fox took on a distant gaze and a sad smile he always adopted when speaking of his old rabbit partner. A pattern the gray fox picked up on. He also picked up on the not so platonic affection he seemed to have for her.

“Any updates?” Joe asked, generating a long silence.

“Not for a couple of months.” It had been at least three since anyone from the Hopps’ farm had responded to his messages asking how Judy was fairing. Despite wanting to ask everyday, he did his best to stick to asking only once a week. Those messages had always been answered with the same thing. ‘No noticeable change.’ 

“You finally get leave in a couple of weeks right?” A nod in response.

“Why don’t you take a couple of days and go visit? I’m sure she’d like that.”

Nick didn’t need Joe’s suggestion to know that. He would have already gone out to Bunny Burrow to visit but an officer’s first year in the rainforest district was a hard one. Six day weeks with no leave until a mandatory first year on the job had been completed. Buckson said it was to toughen up the fresh meat. Nick explained it all to Bonnie when moving Judy had been approved. Her words were to come as soon as he could. It didn’t help he had to wait until his leave showed as available before he was allowed to submit a request of absence form. Then it had to be approved. The likelihood of getting the requested dates were slim, but better than never.

“Time to head in.” Was Nick’s only reply. “Dispatch Romeo 2 8 8 10-42.”

“Romeo 2 8 8 dispatch copy.”

The drive back to the precinct was quiet as the two foxes kept to themselves. After changing the two went their separate ways. Joe would go home to his tree house where the bobcat he’d married was waiting with their adopted chinchilla daughter and month old litter of three... pups…? Kittens…? Kups…? Whatever the hybrids could be called. It was Tuesday, the last day of Nick’s six day rotation. After getting off work he’d travel to the Pangolin Heights where he’d maintained Judy’s lease. He didn’t live there, he had no idea how Judy had maintained her sanity in the place. But the rent was cheap and it wasn’t a burden on his established legal finances to keep it open for when she returned. The armadillo that ran the place simply told him not to lose the key. Bonnie told him it was a sweet gesture but would have prefered if he’d let it go. They had gone together one day to retrieve Judy’s items that they would need for her back home. Mostly clothes and personal items such as the many stuffed bunnies on her bed. The first time Nick came to clean the room and keep the dust and cobwebs away, he stumbled on something in the pile of bunnies that had been left. A stuffed fox with green buttons for eyes. It was the thought of seeing that little stuffed fox again that had him smiling as he walked up the steps to the building. 

He came to her apartment door and used the spare key that she’d given him after graduating the academy for emergencies. The pink welcome mat with welcome spelled out in carrots making his grin grow while at the same time shake his head. The lock clicked open and he stepped into the small room. What he found made his heart feel like it had stopped.

“Hey, Slick.”


	2. Do I know that?

"You know you love me.” It was only a tease. A phrase he used when she was frustrated with him or managed to get one over on him. Just a game the two played.

“Do I know that?”

It wasn't supposed to be the last thing she said to him.

“Yes, yes I do.”

For nearly a year.

_Where am I?_

_Why is it so dark?_

Mumbled words could be heard in the distance.

_Hello? Is someone there?_

The voices grow closer and louder.

_Nick? Is that you?_

“-ake the world a better place without my partner out there.” The voice was muffled but understandable. It was clearly Nick, but why couldn’t he hear her? What was he talking about?

“Well, I’ll be sure to hold down the fort till you get back. I'll see you soon, Carrots.”

_Nick I’m right here! Don’t leave me!_

“You know I love you, right?”

The question hung in the air as she felt his presence leave shortly after. She felt so cold after he was gone. In the silence she finally heard the sounds surrounding her.

The beep of a heart monitor, the steps of someone entering the room. She recognized several voices that would speak to her. Even if they couldn’t hear her answering. Sometimes she would wake up in the middle of a conversation someone was having with her. Other times she would be aware of what’s happening just unable to move or see. One day, she clearly heard her parents voices as well as someone else.

“Well what does that mean?” Bonnie asked the large mule deer named Dr. Blacktail.

“What it means is that mentally, she’s active. When we monitor her brain waves there are several instances of heightened activity. Especially when others are visiting and speaking to her.” She explained.

“Does that mean she’ll wake up soon?” A hopeful Stu asked.

“We can’t say for sure. What we’ve observed so far has given us hope. It’s a step in the right direction for her. The only question now is, will she continue to improve to a point that she can regain motor control. And even if she does, we don’t know how much she’ll regain. It could be as much as returning to her job or as little as barely moving her ears... You should be prepared for the worse case scenario, though.”

“Is there a way to help her improve?” Now Bonnie asked.

“Her best chance is stimuli. Like our muscles, the more we use our brains the more they develop.”

“Can we move her home with us? There we can have someone with her 24/7.” Stu suggested.

“That would be better than here. I’ll have to clear it with her primary caregiver but I don’t foresee an issue.”

It went quiet for a while after that. She wasn’t sure if she’d lost her ability to hear or if no one was there. The next thing she remembered was Nick being there again. His visits were always her favorite.

“So apparently, another fox joined the force. Haven’t met them yet. I hope they’re as fun to talk to as you are. Even now, you’re just patiently listening to me ramble on.”

_Ha! You’ll probably scare him off in the first week!_

“Yeah, you’re right. I should probably keep the jokes to a minimum. At the start at least.”

_Wish I had gotten that deal._

“I hope we don’t get put on parking duty. I know the rainforest district is mostly domestic. I’ll probably get stuck trying to settle domestic disputes and stuff. Good thing there aren’t a lot of megafauna in that area.”

_Yeah, you’d probably get your tail stepped on because of that big mouth of yours._

“I’m sure you’re mom already told you but, they’re having you transferred back home so they can keep an eye on you.” He chuckles. “I told them you were probably screaming inside your head.”

_You know it. I wish I could stay here with you._

Suddenly, something changed. There was a warmth that wasn’t there before. It took her mind a moment to process the feeling, to reach out and find where it was coming from when suddenly…

_My paw! He’s holding my paw!_

“I don’t know if I’ll get to visit you while you’re at home. I’ll be sure to stay in touch with your parents. Tell them to keep you updated on all the trouble I manage to get into. She said your sister’s a doctor or something and is going to help take care of you so you don’t have to stay at the hospital in Bunny Burrough.”

With everything she could find she willed her paw to move. Just a wiggle of a finger to let him know she was there, that she could hear him.

“I’m going to miss you Judy.”

_Please!_ She begged and pleaded.

And then, he was gone, the contact lost and she fell once again into the dark.

There were times she could remember others trying to reach her. Her parents, siblings, friends like Bobby and Sharla, even Gideon visited a couple of times. For the most part, she ignored them. She stayed within her own little dark world for longer than she could remember, until one day…

“Hey Judy.”

Jeanine Laurine, Judy's identical twin sister and only sibling to really understand her. While Jeany didn't share in Judy's dream of being a cop, it didn't mean she didn't want to make the world a better place. Which is why she had been abroad studying medicine in England.

“And that's where I met him. He'd been in a training accident. Got his paw caught in a rope when his harness broke or something. He asked me out to dinner while I was resetting the bones.”

Jeany continued to tell her about the white hair with black stripes. Their first date, the couple of months they'd spent seeing each other. Even the one night they'd spent together.

“And that's why I came home. He never said what exactly he did, but I know it had to be dangerous. He told me he'd be gone for a few months and then I found out you got hurt. I wanted to tell him but I didn't want him worrying about me when he needed to focus on staying safe. I've decided to have the kits here at home and when he comes back I'll tell him. I hope I'm doing the right thing.”

_Oh Jeany._ Judy wanted nothing more than to hug her sister and tell her everything would be okay at that moment.

Jeany continued to talk for a while longer. Telling Judy she’d been brought home from Zootopia a couple of months ago. She herself no longer able to hide the obvious baby bump that had grown. Then she did something that Judy was not expecting.

Standing next to her bed, Jeany lifted Judy’s paw and placed it on her growing bump. The same sensation she felt when Nick held her paw returned. A warm sensation just on the edge of her of her senses appeared. Unlike with Nick, where the feeling was just noticeable, this warmth seemed to radiate all around and through her. It felt like hours as she tried to reach out and pinpoint it’s source. And it had indeed been hours. The next voice she noticed was her mothers.

“Good morning Judy. It’s a new day. Let’s get you cleaned and change your sheets.”

Judy only half paid attention to her mother as she continued to search where the change was coming from. Then she felt a spike, something had changed again. She felt pressure and friction all over her body, then on just one side and a single point that moved up and down her body.

_Cleaning! They’re cleaning me and I can feel it! I can feel!_ Judy didn’t think she’d ever been so happy before. The joy mixed with relief and she began to hope that she might actually recover again. So much so that…

“Mom! She’s crying!” One of Judy’s sisters called out.

“What?”

“Judy’s crying, look!” Bonnie had her daughters helping her to roll Judy back onto her back so she could see Judy’s face.

“Oh my…” Bonnie began to cry herself as she pressed her forehead to Judy’s. “Oh Judy, you’re still in there! I just know it! You’re a fighter, you always have been.”

Worried that Judy may be crying from pain, the small group quickly finished cleaning her before resting her back on the bed. Word spread quickly through the burrow and soon a good number of rabbits were at the door trying to see if the rumors were true. Bonnie had to dismiss the group every time it reformed to keep them from causing a riot. After a short while, Stu appeared from the crowd around the door and walked into the room they’d setup for Judy.

“Bonnie?! Is it true?” Stu’s hopes and ears quickly dropped at the sight of his daughter still in the bed, unmoving. While Bonnie filled him in on what had really happened, another private conversation was taking place.

  _Te_ _ars! I cried! I cried and they saw it!_

_What did the doctor say that day? What was it that needed to happen...?_

_Stimulation! The more they spend time with me, the more stimulation I have and the quicker I should get better!_

For the first time in months, Judy felt the grip of hopelessness shed off of her. Now she had a task to focus on. For the next couple of months Judy focused her mind on every sound and sensation she could pick up. Every touch was sought after and absorbed into memory. And one day…

Eileen, one of Judy's younger sisters, entered the room Judy was in and was getting ready to clean her. She started at her head and was holding one of her ears in her paw, wiping it clean, when suddenly, it moved.


	3. Is this a dream?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is my favorite chapter. I hope you enjoy it as much I do.

_“It’s a dream. It has to be. My dreams are the only place this happens. Unless I’m dead. That’s it, I’ve died and gone to heaven. Heaven's where she belongs. But what am I doing here? No way they'd let me in._ ”

“Hey slick.”

_“Oh sweet heavens she has the voice of an angel!”_

Judy's voice came out sounding tired and strained. The result of not being used for a year. To Nick though, there was no sweeter sound in all the world. He stood in the doorway nearly in shock as he subconsciously looked her over. Her ears hung limply behind her. Her coat seemed flat and slightly thinner, so did her face. No, her face was definitely thinner as her cheek bones seemed to protrude out. She was sitting on her bed and he couldn't be sure, but her once muscular and powerful legs seemed smaller.

What stood out the most were her eyes. Eyes that once shone bright with optimism and an excited eagerness now looked dull and settled. It was that lost light that snapped him out of his temporary loss of control and made him truly doubt what he saw.

“Judy?” He finally managed in a low voice.

“That's me.” She said with a shrug.

“Is this a dream?” He took a tentative step and then another. She shook her head with a smile and the brightness in her eyes seemed to come back for a fleeting second as she giggled for half a second.

“No, Nick. I'm really here.” Now he was standing in front of her. A shaking paw up and hesitating to reach out and touch her. To feel that she was real, but afraid it would all be just another dream and she would disappear from his life once again.

And then, she reached out and took his paw. At the feel of her fur covered paw against his rough pads, he fell to his knees.

**Earlier**

“Judy I'm not sure this is a good idea.” Judy groaned as she sat on the opposite end of her bed from her sister. Eileen was nearly as stubborn as she was. She'd caused quite the stir in the family when she brought home a boy that was half hare. A hare that very much fit the stereotype of bad boy. Until he met Eileen.

“What is it this time?” Judy asked, already feeling fatigued from the ride back to Zootopia. Now they were in her old apartment gathering the last of her things.

“I know how hard you worked to get into the ZPD, we all do. And now you're just going to throw it away?”

“Eileen, we already discussed this. You know I can’t-” Judy was cut off when her ears picked up the familiar sound of footfalls coming from the hallway. The soft thud followed immediately by the click of claws against the wood floor. Followed shortly by the rattle of a key being pressed into the lock. There was only one other mammal that had a key to her room. She watched as the door swung open and he looked up at her.

He looked exactly as she remembered him. Tall with well healthy, groomed fur that shined in the light. His form was lean, maybe with a little more bulk. He had a smile that immediately disappeared when his eyes saw her. They seemed to rove over her, taking her in, almost as if he was trying to figure out who she was. Did he not recognize her? Yes, she looked worse for wear but she was still Judy Hopps...wasn’t she? Not willing to wait, she spoke first.

“Hey slick.”

“Judy?” His voice sounded like he wasn’t sure it was truly her. It hurt slightly that he didn’t seem happy to see her after so long. She’d dreamed of this moment since she last remembered hearing his voice while still in a coma.

“That's me.” She said with a strained smile and shrug.

“Is this a dream?” He took a small step and then another.

_“Dumb fox.”_ She thought to herself with a giggle, shaking her head as her smile grew bigger.

“No, Nick. I'm really here.” Now he was standing in front of her. A shaking paw up and hesitating to reach out and touch her. He looked terrified beyond belief to touch her. As if she’d suddenly disappear or something. Eager as ever, she reached her own paw out and touched his. Feeling his rough pads against her own paws was like the first time she’d managed to open her eyes after her coma.

When he fell to his knees her heart nearly jumped up into her throat. Worried he’d hurt himself, she tried to reach out and catch him, only to fall into his arms as they wrapped around her and pulled her into a tight hug. It only took a second before she was returning the affection, burying her face into his fluffy neck.

_“Cheese and crackers, he smells good! And so warm!”_ She was shamelessly soaking in as much of his scent and warmth as she could. Ever since she woke up she hadn’t been able to feel warm. She was always cold and shivering, having to depend on an electric heating blanket at night. Even though it was summer now.

_“She feels so cold and small.”_ He offered as much of his warmth as he possibly could. She smelled different, yet the same. The base layer of female rabbit along with a hint of lavender that was distinctly her still remained. Just a plethora of new scents on top of it. His breathing was getting harder around the lump in his throat, his eyes stinging when tears began to well up. After releasing a shaky breath, he finally spoke again.

“I missed you so much.” It was barely above a whisper, but she could hear the raw emotions in his voice as clear as if he wrote them down for her.

“I missed you too.” Was her whispered reply. She had to fight not to hold him close when he pulled away. His ears were a shade darker as his expression was one of embarrassment. With a weak laugh he stood. She reached out and grabbed his paw as he sat next to her, his weight causing her to lean over and rest her head on his arm. Not that she tried to resist. When she felt his tail wrap around her waist and the tip rest in her lap her free paw went down to rest on it. Her fingers entwining into his fur.

_“Holy Carrots! Even his tail is warm!”_ It was true, she could even feel the warmth soaking into her own twitching appendage behind her as it settled against her.

A bright smile was the only thing between them at the moment and neither cared. Until…

“Ahem.” The sound of someone clearing their throat behind him nearly had Nick jumping out of his fur. He twisted his neck around so fast he caused it to pop. Behind him was another bunny. This one had white fur and slightly duller colored amethyst eyes. Her ears and paws had a brown coloring that turned into speckles in her fur before disappearing.

Being caught, though, caused the two to separate with Judy letting go of Nick's tail and said tail whipping away from her. While their paws did let go of one another they made no effort to put any distance between them. As Nick looked over his shoulder at the bunny he only just now noticed, he felt Judy lean around him to look at them.

“I'm sorry Nick, this is my sister, Eileen. She's helping me pack.”  Judy explained.

Nick had just opened his mouth to speak and had started moving his paw to shake Eileen's paw when realization of what Judy said stopped him cold. His ears rose up in alarm while his tail bristled behind him as he turned back to face Judy.

“Pack? But you just… I mean, how long… when-” His stuttering only halted when Judy placed a finger over his lips.

“I woke up a little over three weeks ago. Mom told me you'd be here today and so I wanted to surprise you.”

“Three weeks?” A single nod. “Carrots, I haven't heard a peep out of anyone in your family for nearly three months.” Nick stood from the bed and paced to the end of the apartment and back to the bed, running his fingers through the fur on his head. “Why did they make me feel welcome, only to turn around and give me the cold shoulder before you even woke up?” Nick was glaring at Eileen as he finished his question. The rabbit wouldn't look at him and kept her ears behind her back.

“Nick-” Judy wanted to calm him down, to tell him everything but he cut her off.

“I have spent the last two months checking the obituaries in the Burrow Gazette, praying I wouldn’t see your name, Judy.” His voice was starting to crack as the emotions rolled forward. Something he wasn’t used to others seeing and something she’d never seen. “Every day, I wondered if I’d ever see you again. Hoping that someone would let me know you were still alive, that you woke up. _Something_.”

“Oh, Nick.” Standing from the bed, she walked towards him. Now he could see what laying in the bed for nearly a year had done to her. Her legs are nearly skin and bones. The pants she wore wouldn’t have fit her twelve months ago. Now they were baggy and seemed to barely grip her hips. Her once powerful muscles having diminished over the year she’d been trapped in her own motionless body. She walked over and pulled him into a hug, pressing her face into his chest.

“I'm sorry.” The moment she was close enough his tail wrapped around her waist subconsciously. Hearing her voice once again seemed to calm him down. She felt the tension leave his body with a sigh before his arms wrapped around her and his nose settled on her head between her ears.

“Things are complicated back home, Nick. I wanted to surprise you, that's why no one told you I was awake.”

“Then why did your mother stop speaking to me three months ago?” His voice was calmer now and she enjoyed the way his warm breath washed over her fur.

She let out an exhausted sigh, Nick felt her shoulders slump as she did so.

“That's where things get complicated.” He waited silently for her to continue. He pulled back slightly when he felt her shift to look up at him. “Can you… Do you have any leave time yet?” Nick thought it was an odd question to ask at that moment but nodded all the same.

“Yeah, next week. I'll get two weeks allotted.” That made her smile.

“Do you think you could come to the farm for a couple of days?” It was easy to see the desperate plea in her eyes as she looked up at him. He knew what this meant, she wouldn't answer his questions until he was there. Yet, he couldn't stop the smile that pulled at his lips.

“I'd like that.”

Judy and Eileen couldn't stay much longer, their train would be leaving in a couple of hours. Nick walked them to the station and carried the bag of things Judy had packed. It included everything that was left in the room. When Judy had tried to sneak the fox plushie without Nick seeing, he made sure to make a big deal of it, much to Judy's embarrassment. Although, when Eileen had left to put something in the truck, Judy asked Nick to rub his scent onto it. Saying she wanted it to remind her of him while they were separated. He commented on it being the strangest request he’d ever gotten and then gladly obliged. Judy ended her lease, telling Nick she'd find something better later. He offered to help when the time came. She didn’t say much to that.

On the way to the train station they made small talk and banter like they'd never been separated. Judy grilled Nick about how he got along with his new partner. He made sure to remind her that it was only temporary, and he was waiting for her to come back. Her only reply was a nervous laugh before changing subjects.

When Judy's train arrived all that was said was a simple see you later and a promise to stay in touch. Which Nick found she kept as soon as her train arrived in Bunnyburrow, and when she finally made it to the family farm and when she laid down to rest. Then again when she woke up the next morning and reminded him to submit for leave. To which he had to reply it would be three weeks until he could make it but that it would be a four-day weekend for him.

With Nick having the next day off, it was a welcome opportunity to spend more time talking with Judy. Mostly via text but they did have a phone call at one point in the day.

“Wilde’s pizzeria, sorry but we don’t deliver to Bunnyburrow.” Hearing Judy giggle on the other end caused a smile to break across his face, his heart to quickening its pace.

“Are you ever not goofy?” She asked, getting a dramatic gasp from the other line.

“Ah, Carrots, you wound me. My goofiness is my most endearing quality.” She could feel the smile in his words.

“Hmmm, I think you’re confusing endearing with overexuberant.”

“Oh, look at you and the big words. I guess carrots are good for more than just your eyes.” This time she giggled louder but stopped nearly instantly. In the background he could hear the faint cries of infants, followed by a shushing noise and Judy’s voice cooing to them.

“Sorry, I’m helping in the nursery. Don’t have the energy for much else.” He couldn’t miss the depressive tone she took with the last sentence.

“Don’t worry Fluff, you’ll be back out there knocking out rhinos in no time.” There was a long pause before she spoke again.

“So, tell me about your partner.” The change of subject was expected. The wording was not. As far as he’s concerned _she_ _is_ his partner. As much as he and Ol’ Joe got along, he still looked forward to the day that him and his Carrot’s would be on the beat together again.

He spent a few minutes telling Judy about his current partner, a little about some of the things they’d done. The part that surprised him the most was Judy’s interest in their kits.

“Really? A fox and bobcat can have kits?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” The whole time Nick’s voice had taken on a monotone as he recited some of the things they’d done.

“Are hybrids like that pretty common? I mean we have some here. Hare’s and rabbits of course. A couple different deer and cat species but nothing so different as a feline and canine hybrid.”

“They’re rare, usually they only have one litter together if they have any at all.”

“Oh, I guess that’s why I’ve never heard of one before.” Nick noticed there seemed to be a hint of disappointment in her voice but didn’t comment on it. The remainder of their conversation was just Nick updating Judy on the ins and outs of his life with him asking Judy questions about her future plans. All of which were answered with ‘taking it one day at a time’. Eventually the conversation turned towards Nick’s love life.

“Surely being Zootopia’s first fox cop attracted all the vixens?” Her question was greeted with a round of laughter on the other end of the line.

“Yeah, not exactly. Foxes are very solitary. Stepping out into the light doesn’t usually make you more attractive to the opposite sex. If anything, I’m guaranteed to remain the world’s most eligible bachelor.” While Nick couldn’t see it, and the fact he didn’t sound down about the fact, what he said caused a small smile to pull on Judy’s lips.

“Well, I’m sure the right girl will come along eventually.”

_“She already has. She’ll just never know it.”_ He thought to himself.

Shortly after they ended their conversation when the litter of eleven kits Judy was helping with started to wake up. They finished their day texting one another, eventually calling it a night.

The next day Nick had been ecstatic about telling Joe that Judy had woken up. But when he finally saw his Urocyon partner, his brain froze. What exactly was he going to tell him? _Hey, my old partner just woke up, so I'll see you later?_

He couldn’t do that. The two had become good friends, the only real friend he had outside of Judy. Finnick having cut all ties with him after he joined the force. All his former contacts had done the same, most of them threatening him if he ever ratted them out. A couple catching him on his way home from work from time to time and beating the crap out of him as a reminder.

With a sigh, he climbed into the shared chair. While smaller species had begun to follow Judy's example and ventured out into fields they were previously unable to attain, change was still slow. It had taken six months for Nick and Joe to get computers their size. They were still waiting for a desk, but the good news was their computers were laptops they could take home and file reports remotely instead of staying at the office. Bad news was they didn't get paid for the time it took if they did that. So, Nick resigned himself to breaking the happy for him, sad for his partner, news.

“Joe, I need to-”

‘ZZZZZZZZ’

Lost in his own thoughts, Nick failed to notice his partner had fallen asleep in the chair. It wasn't the first time it had happened. In fact, it was a common occurrence. Joe had once told him that his wife was quite the wild cat. Nick just shook his head and woke his partner up before the precinct captain showed up for the morning briefing. Foot patrol. In the rainforest. Where it rains 85% of the time. Neither fox was excited about that.

Still, they did their duty and simply wore their rain gear. While on the beat Nick finally broke the news.

“So, Judy’s awake.” He watched the other fox for a reaction. He didn’t have to wait long as the words sunk in and the other fox stopped and turned to look at him, his eyes wide and amazed.

“Seriously? How is she? Did she lose her memory? When did she wake up?” Nick was happy that Joe seemed concerned about Judy’s welfare. And when he made a remark about him being back at precinct 1 in no time, Nick actually felt a little shame at leaving his partner, even expressing it to him.

“Don’t worry about it.” Was Joe’s easy going reply.

“Really? You’re not mad?” Nick was having a hard time believing it.

“Look, pal, I’ve actually been hoping this day would come. I know how close you two were.” He watched as Nick started to smile before speaking again. “And you’re annoying as hell so I could really use the break.” The two shared a laugh at that.

The next three weeks were agonizingly slow for Nick. It didn’t help that an actual rain storm decided to drown the area for nearly a week. His only saving grace was when he finally got off shift and was able to talk to Judy. They’d spend hours talking and texting about nothing, until they were both exhausted from staying up late. When the day finally came, and Nick found himself at the train station in Bunnyburrow, he was surprised that only Judy was there to pick him up. Even though there were a surprising number of mammals getting onto the early morning train, he felt as though they were the only two standing on the platform in that moment. As he approached where she stood waiting, he looked her over. She didn’t appear to have improved much since the last time he saw her. Her clothes still looked too big, her face was still sunken, her eyes dull and her fur still seemed thin and greasy. At least her ears were up. It must have shown, how much the sight worried him.

“What’s wrong?” Her voice was gaining strength. That was something he’d noticed over the three weeks of talking to her. He quickly realized she must have seen how distraught her appearance made him, replacing his frown and worried expression with his hustler’s mask.

“Nothing just can’t believe they let you out of the burrow on your own.” He finished with a devilish smile. She gave him a half smile, but her eyes did not reflect any mirth.

“Come on,” she turned and started walking away, “I parked over here.” As soon as her back was turned to him, his smile faded. He lifted his bag further on his shoulder, the weight seeming to have tripled suddenly. With a sigh he joined her as they paced around the small train station.

“Carrots I’m so-”

“It’s okay Nick. I know I look pretty bad. I’m not blind you know.” She didn’t sound angry, or even upset, just... accepting. For some reason that worried Nick more than the thought of her being angry with him. He followed her to the truck and placed his duffle in the back. The old farm truck was the same as the one she’d driven when they solved the Nighthowler case, there was even a small box of blueberries waiting for him on the seat. He thanked Judy before popping a couple in his mouth. The ride to the Hopps farm wasn’t long and Nick mainly looked out the windows at all the sights, or lack thereof. He’d never been outside of the city before. All this open farmland was a novelty to him but something else was also on his mind, Judy’s scent. He’d noticed a difference when he saw her in her apartment but hadn’t thought about it. Now, within the confines of the small truck cab, it was as plain as day. She smelled like exactly eleven other bunnies.

The old country road was bumpy, and Nick was glad to finally get out of the worn vehicle when they arrived. He shook the thought he’d had earlier in the truck out of his head. She’d been working in the nursery most of the time when they’d talked over the past three weeks with a specific group of newborns. He grabbed his back from the truck bed and followed her to what looked like a regular farm house. It was large, very large, compared to what he had in his mind. But to house nearly 300 bunnies he guessed it had to be. Nick followed Judy up to the door, even in the summer sun she would shiver from time to time.

Walking into the front door Nick was greeted by something he wasn’t expecting. Silence. The front door lead into what looked like the main living area. There were a couple of rabbits there, mostly elderly, lounging on the couches and watching the news. He heard more than a couple snoring as Judy led him past them. Motioning for him to stay quiet, Judy took him to a set of stairs along the left wall. He walked up as quietly as he could. On the second floor, Judy finally spoke again.

“Those are my grandparents and great grandparents.” Her voice was still hushed. “They might not have given you a warm welcome.” Her ears were back in shame as she tried to avoid looking at him right then. She led him to a room that had a deer sized bed and dresser. It was somewhat small considering the size of mammal it was meant for. That only made it seem very roomy for the fox. After setting his duffle bag down he looked back at Judy waiting in the doorway. “Comfy?” She asked.

“Yeah, I think it’ll do.” He replied giving the room another quick glance while nodding his approval. “Although, I was expecting to have a red carpet rolled out. Followed by trumpets announcing my arrival and a herald proclaiming my victories.” She smirked as he made dramatic gestures with his false disappointment.

“Yeah, well the trumpeters are out harvesting the back 40, the red carpet is being cleaned and the herald is currently at school.” The mention of school during the summer had Nick tilting his head.

“School? Like summer courses?” He asked.

“No, here they have school year-round. With most of the farming being done during the summer it helps to have the little ones out from under paw most of the time. They get two week breaks every couple of months so it’s not like they don’t give you a break.” Nick seemed to think on it for a second before responding.

“Makes sense I guess. Although I definitely enjoyed the three months off from school.” Now it was Judy’s turn to tilt her head.

“Three? I thought other schools only took two months off.” She started walking back down the hallway with Nick beside her. Her arms folded across her chest to fight the chill of the air conditioner blowing.

“Oh, they do now, but in my day they gave us three months to run away and play outside.” The last part was said with his lips over his teeth and a voice imitating an older mammal. The act got him a soft snort and smile from the bunny by his side. They walked back down the stairs and past the living area. Judy led Nick into the kitchen where they found Bonnie along with a few other bunnies. Mostly female but a few males mixed in, helping to prepare a large meal. What surprised Nick was that Bonnie wasn’t the one running the show. Instead, one of Judy’s brothers was going around taste testing, giving instructions and calling out orders to the group. Bonnie just seemed to be checking in and reminding David, he heard someone call him, of formula for the nursery. With all the hustle and noise of the kitchen Nick would have thought that no one saw them enter.

However, all it took was a single bunny to notice him standing next to Judy by the door they’d entered. It was like a ripple spreading across water. It was almost comical how every bunny had their ears up and trained in their direction while their noses all seemed to twitch in unison. When the ripple had made its way through about half the room, Bonnie took notice. She was about to say something when she looked in the direction everyone else was. Like the others her nose began twitching, although for a different reason. Unlike the others her ears fell behind her back. She knew Nick was coming today. That didn’t make facing him after cutting off communications with him any easier. Ignoring everyone else she took a deep breath and stood a little straighter with her paws clasped in front of her. She put on a brave smile and walked towards him.

“Nick.” She’d managed to get her ears back up before speaking.

“Mrs. Hopps.” The tone he’d used was polite but cold and distant. He watched as her ears dropped and her expression changed to a frown. Before now he’d gladly called her Bonnie like she’d asked. That took the wind from of her sails. She recovered quickly, though her ears remained droopy.

“I hope the room was okay.” She looked to Judy. “Have you…?” Judy made a short shake of her head, silently telling her mother no. Bonnie nodded a single time in response. “I hope we’ll have time to talk later. Enjoy your stay.” With that she slipped past the two and left the kitchen. Judy had him help her collect baby bottles and stack them in warmers on a cart. They then pushed the cart to an elevator that was disguised as regular doors in the main room. Judy explaining that most everyone used the stairs to get to the lower levels and the elevator was reserved for anyone who had difficulty with the stairs just transporting things back and forth.

“So how many levels are there?” Nick asked.

“The house above ground is two stories. It’s mainly used for guests, the grandparents or anyone too injured to use the stairs on a regular basis. While I was out of it, I was in one of the ground floor rooms. The majority of the rooms are spread throughout five levels underground. Each level has its own bathrooms, game rooms, quiet areas and the like.” The elevator dinged as they reached the first ground level. Judy leading Nick down a hall as he pushed the cart along beside her. “This level is where all the newborns and their parents stay until they’re old enough to move down a level. Then, when the kits are old enough to stay in their own room, they move down to the next level and then the level after that and the level after that. It helps prevent the teenagers from sneaking out.”

Nick wanted to ask more but the sound of little bunnies crying had his ears perked. They walked into a nursery where three mothers were tending to their litters. The room had cribs along the walls with changing stations between them. Couches and recliners wrapped around a play area where the little bunnies could crawl around or play with toys and each other. Nick was awestruck by the number of baby bunnies. Over thirty, Judy explained that they all belonged to the three does watching them. That they dressed them differently to easily identify them, but they could also identify them by their scent if need be, as each litter smelled almost identical to their mother for the first couple of years of their lives. So much so that when kits went missing around that age, trackers could often use the mother as a base scent to find them.

They visited two more rooms that were nearly identical to the last. Each with three little families and each time the process was the same. Judy would ask Nick to wait outside the room and take the bottles in herself. He watched as she struggled to lift the containers and seemed to be winded after each attempt. When one of the other does offered to help she politely declined. Nick knew she was using this as a way to build her strength back up. Eventually they made it to the last room. It was further down than the rest and much quieter. The warmer Judy lifted was much lighter than the others. Nick waited for her to return. The lights were off inside, and Nick could hear hushed voices talking. Eventually, Judy reappeared in the doorway and paused to turn a knob that raised the light level slightly inside the room. She then waived for him to follow her inside.

Nick’s eyes didn’t need much time to adjust to the low light levels. The first thing he noticed was this room was smaller than the other three. A crib and changing station were still on one wall and there was a couch against another. The strangest difference was the bed. Instead of a normal mattress on frame, the mattress was on the floor shaped into a corner. The sides of the mattress were raised, and Nick could see a small pile of baby bunnies in the center. An adult sized pillow and what looked like an electric blanket folded on the floor beside it. On the couch sat Judy’s sister Eileen and what would have to be her boyfriend with the way his arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close while her fingers ran through the fur on his forearm.

He was easily a head taller than the two bunnies. His fur was longer and coarser. His shoulders were broader and more muscular than any of the Hopps bucks he’d met so far. In the dim light Nick could just make out the blue-green color of his eyes. On the left eye socket was a moon shaped scar and another on the right side of his upper and lower lip. The only emotion he could see on the hare was indifference towards Nick being there while Eileen seemed to be worried.

“Nick you remember Eileen. This is her boyfriend, Lucas.” The hare stood and was much taller than Nick realized. Almost two heads taller, coming up to just below his chin. When the hare approached he actually smiled and offered Nick his paw.

“Pleasure.” Was all he said.

“Likewise.” Nick replied, taking the hare’s firm grip. He caught Eileen leaning close and whispering in Judy’s ear, concern written all over her features. Judy simply rolled her eyes and pushed her sister towards Nick.

“They’ll be fine.” She said in a voice Nick could hear. Eileen then shook Nick’s paw and they traded pleasantries before she and Lucas left the two alone with the sleeping pile of bunnies.

Nick watched as the other two left the room and closed the door behind them. When he turned back to face Judy, he found her fidgeting with her paws nervously.

“Probably not what you had in mind... is it?” Judy gestured to the room they were in. To which Nick smirked.

“Did I expect to get put on babysitting detail? No, no I did not.” His smirk turned into an amused smile as he shook his head with his answer. “But I can’t really say I’m surprised. You do spend a lot of time talking about these little guys.” He gestured to the little pile on the mattress. Judy’s reaction seemed to only get more nervous. He was about to say something more when she spoke again.

“Do you want to hold them?” She quickly asked. Now it was Nick’s turn to look nervous.

“Um.” He looked at the little pile. He knew there were eleven of them and they were so small. He’d only caught glimpses of them when he and Judy would video chat. He looked back at Judy, her ears were down with her nose twitching a few times before pausing and repeating. Her eyes were a mix between pleading and hopeful. How could he say no? So, with a soft smile he nodded his agreement. She had him sit on the couch as she retrieved one of the sleeping kits, placing it in his paw to hold.

At first Nick just held it in his paws, watching as it’s little nose started twitching faster as it picked up his scent. They were small but still big enough he needed both paws to hold it without worry of dropping the tiny thing. Judy just seemed to grow more nervous as he held the little bunny. Was she worried he’d hurt it? This one had a pink onesie with little carrots printed on the fabric. Nick was so nervous about holding the little thing it took a minute for him to notice certain details about it.

The little thing rolled over on its side in his paw, clasping his thumb when he used it to keep from dropping her. That’s when he saw her ears, ears with black tips and gray fur. Identical to another bunny he knew. Nick’s mind finally quit panicking enough about holding her that he was able to process something his nose was telling him. What Judy said earlier in the hall came rushing back to the forefront of his mind.

_“They smell so much like their mother that a tracker can use the mother’s scent to find them.”_

_“The mother can identify her kits by their smell.”_

_“The litter smells like their mother.”_

_“Things are complicated back home.”_

All these things raced through his mind as a base layer of female rabbit along with a hint of lavender clung to his nose. He slowly raised his eyes up to Judy as she looked back at him. The way she was looking at him, that expression of knowing what he was about to ask, made his heart twist in his chest. Though he didn’t want to, he knew he had to ask.

“Are they yours?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please hold judgement until the next chapter.


	4. Or a nightmare?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Lost power and couldn't post anything till it came back on. So the last chapter left us with quite the cliffhanger. Some of you offered ideas as to what happens next or where the kits came from. If you were paying attention, chapter 2 actually gave you the answer.

“Are they yours?” His voice sounded broken even to himself. That twist he felt in his chest turned into a full on knot. It felt like a strain just to hold his arms up so he didn’t drop the miniature Judy in his paws. The world seemed to slow down as he watched her face twist into an expression of uncertainty. And then she spoke.

 

“Not exactly.” Judy waited patiently as he stared back at her with a blank expression for what felt like an eternity.

 

“What?” His mind had gone blank.

 

“I’m not their biological mother.” He looked at her with the same blank stare until his brow narrowed. He looked down at the still sleeping bunny in his paws, to the pile of bunnies on the mattress. They had either gray, black or white fur with varying patterns. Some had strange stripes on their cheeks either black, white or gray. He looked up at Judy who seemed to be waiting for him to say something. He leaned closer to her and she saw his nostrils flare as he pulled in her scent, then sniffed the little one in his paw before looking back up at her looking more confused than before.

 

“But you said… I mean… They all… How?”

 

“I have…” She took a deep breath. “I  _ had _ an identical twin. Her name was Jeanine. She died giving birth to this litter about four months ago.” Nick caught on quickly.

 

“Around the time your mother stopped talking to me.” She nodded an affirmative. Nick looked down at the sleeping kits. They were starting to squirm a little. 

 

“Do you-do you want to help me feed them?” Nick looked back up at her. She didn’t seem quite as nervous as before. More hopeful than anything.

 

“Sure.” He softly replied. He watched as Judy retrieved a bottle from the warmer and brought it to him. Showed him how to hold the bottle and the kit. The little kit woke up when it sensed food was available. Nick watched as it sleepily opened its eyes. To his surprise, the little thing had blue eyes instead of the purple he’d expected. As the kit took the nipple and began to suckle its meal, Nick looked up to Judy to make sure he was doing it right. He’d never handled a kit this small before. Never seen a bunny this young either, now that he thought about it. Looking at Judy now, she seemed far more relaxed than before. A small happy smile as she watched him. She then fetched another bottle and one of the other kits, one with white fur and black stripes. He to had the same blue eyes.

 

“What did you mean by ‘not exactly’?” Nick looked over at Judy. She was smiling at the little kit as he fed almost greedily. Judy took a deep breath and released it as a sigh before answering without looking at him.

 

“My sister named me as their guardian before she passed. Obviously I was still in a coma at the time so it became contingent on whether I would wake up or not. So when I did wake up and was coherent enough to understand what was going on, of course I accepted.” Her ears started drooping more than normal, she might have been a good actor but they talked a lot while he was in the academy. He’d picked up on some of her tells along the way. Judy wore her heart on her sleeve and right now, she was hiding something from him. Or worse, lying.

 

For now, he didn’t feel like pressing her for more information would do any good. Once the little bunnies were fed they were fully awake. Nick and Judy moved to within the barrier of the nesting mattress as Judy said it was called. The raised sides kept the little bunnies from crawling away. Which brought something else up.

 

“So, why are you in your own room, Carrots?” By this point Nick had five kits on his tail, two climbing in his lap and one in each paw. The sight seemed to do more to bring Judy’s spirits up than anything he could have thought of. The other two were exploring the area they had to play in. Seemingly testing their barriers. She was suddenly nervous again when he asked.

 

“W-well, I was in one of the other nurseries. But um, when everyone else found out you were coming they um…”

 

“They didn’t want the big bad fox around their kits.” His voice was level with a neutral tone. He understood, didn’t make it hurt less.

 

“It’s more than that.” Judy quickly said. “Baby bunnies are very sensitive to noise and smells before their eyes open and even after that for a while. Introducing a new scent or loud noises could potentially cause them to panic. At this age their little hearts can’t handle the stress very well.” At that moment Nick starting looking at the little bunnies around him nervously. Fox musk can be quite strong and he could only imagine how a baby bunny would react to the scent of a predator. “That’s why I had you put your scent on this.” She reached under the electric blanket and produced the stuff fox he’d found in her old apartment. “I wanted to tell you then, but we were short on time and I knew you’d have more questions than I had time to answer.”

 

He still had more questions. For starters, why was she shivering? He'd noticed the little tremors shaking her body every now and then since he'd stepped off the train. The room didn't feel very cool to him. It was actually quite warm. That and the fact that she had felt so cold that day in her apartment had him worried more than anything else.

 

“Are you cold?” 

 

Judy started to open her mouth to deny that she was, only to shiver enough that her teeth rattled together. She promptly pressed her teeth together to try and hide it but the way Nick was looking at her now said it all. This was the last thing she wanted. Everyone looking at her as a weak little bunny. After all her hard work to prove everyone wrong. To show the world that she could be more than some carrot farmer. To accomplish what no bunny had done before. Only to lose it all in an instant. And now she had kits to-

 

“Judy? Are you okay?” Nick’s voice saying her name ever so gently pulled her mind away from the darkness that had slowly been consuming her thoughts. At some point she’d looked away from him and down at her paws in her lap. She looked back at him and at those brilliant emerald eyes of his. She saw the concern, the fear and… something else she couldn't place. What little sense of pride she had left finally broke. Tears filled her eyes and her breath hitched as her voice cracked. 

 

“No. I’m not.” She closed her eyes and the flood of emotions finally poured forth, sobs wracking her body as she finally broke down. It seemed like the second her eyes closed she felt his warmth next to her. His arms pulling her into his chest as his tail wrapped around her waist, the tip settling in her lap. His chin, resting between her ears. She wasn’t sure how long she cried or when she’d fallen asleep.

 

When Judy began to cry, Nick moved the baby bunnies off of him so he could offer his support. He didn’t know what the cause of her distress was exactly, so he offered the two things he knew she needed in that moment. His friendship and warmth. It was no secret that a fox’s fur coat was exceptionally warm. For all the prejudice against his kind it was strange that several foxes would shave their coats and sell the fur to coat makers for top dollar. So he used his good fortune to his advantage. 

 

Sliding next her, he pulled her into a hug, his tail wrapping around her. He felt her turn into him and latch onto the front of his shirt. Her tears soaking into the fabric. She sat there for several minutes just crying her eyes out. Once she finally settled down he noticed she’d cried herself to sleep.

 

_ “I wonder how often she does that.”  _ Thinking to himself.  _ “And she probably doesn’t let anyone know.” _ With a sigh he gently laid her on her side. Once he was sure she wouldn’t wake up, he stood and stepped around the little kits. Retrieving the rabbit sized electric blanket, he turned to see one of the cutest sights he’d ever seen. A couple of the kits were cuddling up to Judy’s midsection. When he looked to check on the others he noticed something he could hardly believe. The white kit with black stripes and blue eyes was corralling his other siblings to go to sleep. It amazed him to watch as the kits hopping around like primitive rabbits. With what looked like the biggest kit nudging the others to their mother. Nick kept watching dumbfounded until all the kits were gathered together and snuggling into a pile at Judy’s core.

 

But now he couldn’t decide if he should use the blanket or not. He could just lay it on top of her but would it be warm enough? If he plugged it in and turned it on would it be too warm for the kits? Nick looked to the door, he could go ask someone but would they even bother speaking to him? There was another option, albeit a risky one.

 

Nick looked down just in time to Judy shiver once again. He made his decision. Laying down behind her, Nick pulled the blanket over the top of them and rested his head over her own. He slowly felt the cold that seemed to permeate from her slip away. Feeling the emotional fatigue of the day taking its toll, his eyelids quickly grew heavy. 

 

When Judy woke, she found herself wrapped in a fox cocoon. Nick had curled around behind her with one arm and his tail draped over her form. His tail covered her across her hips and extended to the pile of once again sleeping bunnies that had formed against her stomach, where they would always end up when they slept. His arm also wrapped around her, the elbow bending just below her ribs and both her arms wrapping around his forearm and pulling his paw to her. Half curled into a fist it rested just below her chin. His other arm serving as her pillow while Nick used her actual pillow. The blanket had also been pulled over the top of them but wasn’t turned on. And yet... Judy felt warmer now than she could remember since coming out of the coma.

 

Feeling nature’s call, she eased his paw away from her and rose up on her elbow. She eased the blanket back and glanced back at Nick. If he was awake he showed no sign of it. She took a moment to study his features. His fur was slightly ruffled from the blanket, his ear that wasn’t pressed to the pillow flicked twice before settling. She took her time to take in his face, the placement of his eyes, his long muzzle, where russet orange shifted to cream white, his dark lips, his sharp… fangs. One of which was protruding slightly from under his top lip as he slept. Unconsciously, she reached up and touched her neck.

 

That day in the museum would forever stay in her mind for several reasons. Nick refusing to leave her, finding out Bellwether was the mastermind behind the attacks, their hustle to get Bellweather to talk and Nick’s fangs. She never told him that scream was real. He’d been so convincing that she believed he’d actually gone savage, that their plan had failed. It wasn’t until she’d run out of breath from the outburst that she realized he was still in control of himself. That those sharp instruments of death were merely grazing through her fur. Thinking back on it afterwards always sent a spike of arousal through her. Just as it was now.

 

She managed to slip away without waking either Nick or the kits. She made her way to the closest bathroom on autopilot, her mind focused on something else. Would Nick accept her and the kits? She'd been ready to tell him how she really felt on that fateful day. Everything was planned out. Ask him over to watch a movie at her place. A controversial film about an interspecies relationship between a wolf and an ewe. Watch for his reaction and casually ask his opinion on interspecies relationships. If everything went as planned and he reacted positively, ask if he'd consider being in one. If he said yes, confess her feelings and pray she hadn't just ruined everything. 

 

Could she still do that? With all the extra baggage that she came with now? Could he care for, let alone love, someone else's kits? And then he'd have to deal with her and all the problems she came with now. She still needed to tell him everything involved with her recovery. Plus the decision she'd made. She just hadn't the heart to say it when he was so excited about her coming back. That’s why she wanted him here, to see the kits and all the responsibility that came with them. Wouldn’t that lessen the blow? Knowing the responsibility she now had and wouldn’t-

 

Judy’s thoughts were interrupted by a sharp intake of breath. Before she left, she’d placed the blanket back on top of Nick and the kits. Now, the blanket had somehow been discarded and revealed Nick curled completely around the sleeping pile. Judy had to put both paws to her mouth to keep was awing loudly. She retrieved her phone and quickly took several pictures. Her favorite being one she took from a lower angle. Nick's tail going over his own nose and the sleep pile just noticeable over his fur. 

 

Happy with what she had, Judy sat cross legged beside them. With Nick's nose and tail just in front of her. The clock on the wall said it was only 1 AM yet, she felt great. Well, not really great but much better than she had since waking up from the coma. She watched over the cuddle pile as she pondered over this new development. She felt tired, but the ‘I need to go to sleep’ kind. Not her usual ‘no energy, barely alive’ kind. She jumped a little when Nick's paw came out from under the pillow and landed in her lap. She looked down on it a moment, wondering if she should scoot away and let it fall naturally. His paw had rough pads and sharp claws. So different from her own.

 

Curious, she reached down and pressed her furred palm to his. It wasn't as rough as it looked. Almost smooth and moisturized. She snorted a little at the thought of Nick using lotion. His paw must been acting on reflex as it wrapped around hers. His thumb brushing along her knuckles. When suddenly, she was blinded.

 

She started breathing harder as she tried to look around in the dark.

 

“Nick!?” No answer but he was there. He was rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. But she couldn't move. Frozen in time as she began to panic. Eventually, her breathing calmed enough she was able to hear something, a voice in the dark. She tried to turn her head to locate the source but to no avail. But it was getting louder. Soon she was able to tell it was Nick's voice but still not the words;  until a moment later. A question was asked. Six simple words phrased as a question. It wasn't a tease or a joke. He hadn't been pushed too far or been one-upped. It wasn't a game the two were playing. 

 

_ “You know I love you, right?” _

 

Judy's eyes shot open as she gasped loudly, quickly pulling her paw from Nick's and scooting away from him. What was that? A dream? A memory? Did he really say that? Her breath was growing ragged as she struggled to gain control of herself. This had happened before but never so clearly. Flashbacks of events while in a coma. They always brought the feeling of being trapped back. A sound caused her to hold her breath completely.

 

“Judy?”

 

Nick's voice laced with deep concern. He was lifted up on his elbow, looking at her. She looked from him to her kits then back again. Panic from the feeling of being trapped again mixed with a feeling of self doubt that she hadn’t come to fully understand swirled around one painful thought.

 

_ “He couldn’t love me now.” _

 

He lifted himself up higher and was about to speak again when she cut him off.

 

“Please leave.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. Nick could only watch as she glanced from him, down and back again. “Please.”

 

Nick followed her eyes to the sleeping kits. Had he done something wrong?

 

“Judy, I-”

 

“Please.” Nick saw real fear in her eyes. 

 

She watched as his shoulders and features drooped, his ears pinning back against his head. He stood and slowly backed away to the door. Turned to pull it open and half stepped out before partially looking over his shoulder.

 

“Goodnight.” And then he was gone. The moment the door clicked closed she felt the familiar chill overtake her once more. Tears fell to the floor as her body shook from more than just the cold feeling in her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll say this now. I'm not naive and think that nothing bad ever happens to people. I know they do. I just don't like to write about it. Now, I know this chapter brought up more questions. And I'll go ahead and answer some of them. Judy doesn't remember everything that happened around her while she was out. Someone mentioned the amount of time it takes for rabbit gestation. Well, I'm pretty sure things have changed since they evolved to walk on two legs, speak a common language and opposable thumbs. I just don't want to go to the trouble of trying to define that.


	5. I'm not going anywhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I usually post on Fridays but I will be busy and won't have access to the internet so you're all in luck and get the next chapter early! Lucky you!

Nick didn't wake up the next morning because he never went back to sleep. It was around three in the morning when Judy had asked him to leave. He racked his brain the entire way back to his room wondering what he’d done wrong. He’d woke at some point during the night to find her gone, thinking she’d gone to use the restroom. He pulled the blanket back to cool off a bit to find the room had chilled significantly. Removing the blanket also revealed the small pile of kits. In his sleepy state, he’d done what his instincts told him. Care for the young. And he did so by curling around them to form a barrier against the cold. Had that been his mistake? Assuming she’d allow him to take care of the kits when she wasn’t there? Was she so out of it when she woke up that she didn’t realize he was there and panicked when she found him upon her return?

 

His mind continued to race in circles until he was starting to get a migraine. Around five, the thunderous sound of a couple hundred rabbits making their way through the burrow to get breakfast had been enough to convince him to stay in his room and not venture out. A couple of hours later the sound of the kerfuffle had ended. He was beginning to debate with himself about going to get something to eat and maybe trying to talk to Judy when a knock came to his door.

 

Opening the door revealed Bonnie Hopps, dashing any hopes he’d had of Judy coming to let him try and apologize for whatever he’d done. He took a second to look her over. She wore a sleeveless pink flannel shirt and denim skirt. Her ears were down her back and she carried a food tray in her paws. 

 

“Good morning, Nick.” Her voice sounded apologetic. “I brought you some breakfast. May I come in?” She gestured with the food tray she was holding.

 

Nick nodded and stepped away from the entrance, pulling the door out of her way. He remained there and watched as she placed the tray on a simple desk in the room that was tall for her. Stretching up on her toes to reach it, before turning to face him. She cupped her paws together and took a deep breath before speaking.

 

“I think we need to have a talk.” Nick had been expecting this, that feeling had only intensified the longer he’d been in the Hopps burrow. Especially after what happened with Judy.

 

“Mrs. Hopps, I’m truly sorry if I overstepped any boundaries last night. I really didn’t mean any harm towards the kits.” Nick watched as Bonnie gave him a confused tilt of her head, obviously, not knowing what he was referring to. “J-Judy didn’t tell you?”

 

“I haven’t spoken to Judy this morning but we can talk about that in a minute.” She said before walking over to the bed and hopping onto the mattress to take a seat. “Come join me, we have more to talk about than I thought.”

 

Nick slowly took the couple of paces over and sat beside her. He still felt weary from being up so early and all the stress was beginning to wear on his senses.

 

“First, I want to apologize for cutting you off the way I did. It was a very selfish thing for me to do and you didn't deserve to be treated that way.” Everything about the matronly doe showed sincerity and Nick was inclined to believe her. It left just one question. 

 

“Then, why?” He watched as Bonnie furrowed her brow and her ears faced to the sides in concentration.

 

“Did Judy tell you who the kits’ mother was?” 

 

“Her twin.” Nick stated, Bonnie nodded.

 

“How much did Judy tell you?” To which Nick shrugged.

 

“Only that she died while giving birth to the kits. That she left Judy as their guardian.” Bonnie looked confused for a second before continuing. 

 

“Anything about the kits themselves?”

 

“Mmm…” Nick furrowed his brow, “just that her sister didn't say who the father was and she got them accustomed to my scent so they would be ok around me.”

 

“So she told you about scent bonding. That makes this easier.” Nick raised an eyebrow, confused by what Bonnie had just stated. 

 

“I'm sorry, scent what?” Bonnie had started to look up slightly, but deflated with Nick's question. 

 

“She… she didn't tell you about scent bonding with the kits?” To which Nick could only shake his head slowly. Bonnie let out a short huff before mumbling something about ringing ears.

 

“Well, you mentioned she told you about acclimating the kits to your scent. It goes deeper than that, especially for the mother. See, the stereotype of rabbits breeding quickly isn't far from the truth. And so it's very common for several mothers to give birth at the same time, as you've seen. Over the centuries we evolved so that the mother bonds with her young through scent. Judy is able to pick her kits’ scent out and identify it in any crowd. Does that make sense?”

 

Nick nodded slowly as he processed the new information. “I think I understand, it sounds a lot like imprinting.”

 

“Imprinting? I don't think I've heard of that before.”

 

“It's a canine trait. If we focus closely on a specific scent, we can pick it out from others fairly easily. If we have an emotional connection then the scent becomes permanently imprinted in our minds for the rest of our lives. Even canines who suffer from memory disorders like alzheimer's still have the connection and can recognize it as familiar.”

 

Bonnie looked up at Nick with a raised eyebrow and attentive ears.

 

“Huh, that's impressive. I'm actually a little jealous.” Bonnie stated. Nick just shrugged the comment off. To him it was an everyday thing, a fact of life.

 

“You were telling me about bonding?” Nick redirected the conversation back to the original topic, much to Bonnie's disappointment if the drooping of her ears were anything to go by.

 

“Right, now that you have an understanding of bonding I'll tell you why I stopped sending you updates on Judy.” Bonnie took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly through her nose before continuing. “I know that you care for my daughter as more than a friend.”

 

Nick’s eyes widened slightly and he quickly averted them away from her, shaking his head as he spoke.

 

“I don’t know what you mean Ms. Hopps. I just-” Nick stopped when he felt a paw on his arm. He looked back to find Bonnie smiling fondly at him.

 

“Nicholas, I’ve seen the way you look at Judy and heard the way you talk about her. Even if you don’t realize it yet, there’s something there.” Nick began to protest but quickly shut his muzzle and sighed in defeat when Bonnie raised an eyebrow. Closing his eyes and nodding in confirmation, he lowered his head almost as if he were ashamed. “And I think Judy might return those feelings.”

 

Nick’s ears shot up from where they’d laid flat against his head and his eyes were wide and scanned Bonnie’s features. Her ears were relaxed and not twitching the way he’d noticed Judy’s might when trying to pull a fast one on him. Her smile and eyes were warm and welcoming before they melted into a frown.

 

“It’s also the reason I stopped talking to you. You see, when Jeanine passed away, the best chance for her kits to survive was to keep them close to Judy. And when I say close I mean literally on her. They needed to have fur-on-fur contact, otherwise their sense of smell wouldn’t be able to pick up on her unique scent. Things like this have happened in the past. And from time to time, the sibling who is standing in for the mother has formed a subconscious bond and lead them to believe they are the kits parents. It happened with two of my aunts when one of them was sick. Aunt Barbara would constantly confuse aunt Becky’s kits as her own.” Bonnie gave an amused huff as she looked away for a second with a fond smile. No doubt remembering some amusing memory, but that still didn’t explain everything for Nick.

 

“So, what does that have to do with me?”

 

“I don’t think it’s a secret that Stu and I aren’t happy about Judy’s career choice. We never outright told her no but we didn’t encouraged her to go after this dream. In fact, we did everything we could think of to  _ discourage _ her. I hope one day you can understand what it means to worry for your child Nick. Maybe then you’ll understand why I did what I did... I was trying to force distance between the two of you.”

 

Nick looked at Bonnie in disbelief. He felt betrayal, anger and disappointment all at once.

 

“I knew you would encourage Judy to go back to the city, back to being a cop, back to the danger. I was hoping that, maybe you would move on or suddenly finding out about the kits would change your mind. Or maybe, if I didn’t talk to Judy about you anymore, when she woke up she’d be more concerned about taking care of the kits than trying to live her dream. I thought it worked. When Judy was strong enough she went to the city to close her lease on the apartment.” 

 

The more Bonnie talked the more her voice began to crack with emotion. Nick thought he knew why.

 

“Then she met me again.” Bonnie nodded before continuing.

 

“Judy started doing physical and mental therapy soon after she woke up. The physical part was supposed to be the easy part. The therapist said she should have been able to travel to Zootopia by herself after two months, but it took three months and we had to send Eileen with her to make sure she made it there and back. Before she left she told me that she had decided to stay here at the farm. She was going to resign and raise the kits. I have never heard anyone sound so sad in my life.” Bonnie stopped for a moment and seemed to study Nick for a moment.

 

“Have you noticed how cold Judy feels?” The mention of Judy’s strange ailment, seemingly out of nowhere, knocked the fox off his mental seat, so to speak. It took him a second to regain his bearings before answering.

 

“I have noticed. Is she alright? She’s not sick is she?”

 

“That’s the thing. The doctors can’t find anything wrong with her. But I can tell you, from when she told me she was going to stay and take care of the kits to when she left to go back to Zootopia, she hasn’t been the same. It was like the light in her had just gone out. She didn’t have the same drive she used to.”

 

“And when she came back?” Bonnie’s expression changed from worried mother to happy acceptance.

 

“When she came back and started talking to you on a daily basis, I could see my mistake. I never should have cut you out, Nick. I should have only brought you closer. The light that had left her started coming back. She was becoming more active, she wasn’t complaining about the cold as much as before. She still feels cold to the touch but it doesn’t seem to bother her as often.”

 

While Bonnie had been speaking, all Nick could do was look away from the shame he felt. Feeling he’d ruined any progress Judy had made thus far.

 

Bonnie took notice of the growing withdrawal, “What’s wrong?” Nick let out a defeated sigh.

 

“I may have just messed everything up, Bonnie.” She looked on for a moment with concern before she pulled his attention back to her.

 

“Tell me what happened.”

 

Nick went on to explain everything that happened after he woke up. Bonnie listened intently without interrupting. Only when he was finished did she supply her input.

 

“And then I left. I’ve been in here, wondering what I’d done wrong since.” Nick seemed utterly ashamed that he had crossed some unseen line with Judy. Bonnie on the other paw seemed to understand what Judy was going through.

 

“Nick, I don’t believe you did anything wrong.” He quickly look up at her, hope barely present in his eyes. “What you described sounds like Judy had a flashback.”

 

“Flashback?” He asked. Bonnie nodded knowingly.

 

“It happens from time to time when she remembers something that happened while she was in her coma. She has flashbacks and her psychiatrist said it’s like PTSD. The memory is so vivid she feels like she’s trapped inside her own body again. What’s confusing though is how she reacted.”

 

“How so?”

 

“Well, usually she’ll latch on to the first person she sees. The only time she didn’t was when one of her cousins hurt his arm and couldn’t work in the fields, so he went down there to help instead. He went into Judy’s room to check on her when she was already in a panic. Instead of latching onto him she gathered the kits into a corner and tried to hide them and yelled at him to leave. She later told the doctor she didn’t know who he was and felt an uncontrollable urge to protect the kits incase he was a threat.” This only caused Nick’s ears to press back and all hope to drop from his expression.

 

“But you said Judy asked you to leave?” Bonnie pressed him.

 

“Yeah, she even said please.” His expression didn’t change, not following her line of thinking.

 

“Then I don’t think she saw you as a threat, Nick. Did she move to cover the kits or get between you and them?” He had to think about it for a moment before answering.

 

“No, she didn’t.” His expression taking one of concentration as he pulled the memory back. “She just sat with her back against the wall and watched me leave. When I got to the door I looked back and she was just glancing between me and the kits. I thought she was worried I would hurt them or something.”

 

Bonnie pondered on that for a moment before answering. Trying to analyze the differences between the events and why they were so different. With a heavy sigh she shook her head in exasperation. 

 

“The only thing I can think of that's even remotely similar is when Stu and I had our first litter. I had such an overwhelming need to protect my kits that I became afraid Stu would want to leave me because I felt like broken goods after the changes my body went through.”

 

“How is this the same?” Nick asked curiously. 

 

“Well I was worried he would end up hurting the kits somehow and so I tried to push him away.”

 

Hearing the similarities finally caused his mood to brighten. Now he just needed to fix things between him and Judy.

 

“How did you and Stu get over it?”

 

“Well, he was there for me, every day... whether I wanted him there or not.” Bonnie smiled at the memory. “He'd always do little things like bringing me treats and novels he thought I'd like.” She watched as a sly smirk slowly grew on Nick’s muzzle before he spoke.

 

“You wouldn’t happen to have any strawberries would you?” Bonnie returned the look with a smirk that looked very similar to one he was fond of seeing.

 

“I’ll fix a plate. Find me in the kitchen when you’re ready.” Bonnie slid from the bed and began to leave. Just as she made it to the doorway, she was brought to a brief halt.

 

“Bonnie.” Nick watched as her ears perked and she turned to face him. A little surprise at being called by her name. He couldn’t help the genuine smile he had as he spoke. “Thank you.” Bonnie simply returned his smile and nodded before leaving the room. Nick quickly ate his now cold meal. Scrambled eggs that had been over-cooked, oatmeal and buttered toast with a glass of orange juice.    
After scarfing down everything as quickly as he could, he took a moment and slowly sipped on his drink as he pondered over what to say. With a final gulp, he polished off his juice and gathered his dishes before making his way to the kitchen. As the day before, the large living room area only housed a few older rabbits who sat around and seemed to complain how the kids have it easier than they did. He stayed out of sight and made his way back to where he remembered the kitchen was located.

 

Walking into the large room, Nick found it much the same as he did the day before. One rabbit was orchestrating what seemed to be controlled chaos while the others completed different tasks. Just like the day before, as one rabbit noticed him and stopped what they were doing, which created a domino effect of all the rabbits stopping and looking at him. Fortunately, Bonnie was there as well and approached him with a small plate of sliced strawberries.

 

“You take these and I’ll take care of the dishes.” Bonnie looked up with familiar amethyst eyes, full of hope. “Good luck.”

 

Nick smiled back and nodded in return. Leaving the kitchen and making his way to the stairs. Each step down seemed heavier than the last. He’d thought up several snarky comments or puns to make when he saw her. Running down the list as he approached the room she shared with only her kits.  _ Her kits _ . It still felt strange to say. This lead Nick to several thoughts on the matter.

 

_ “I wonder if what Bonnie said is true. If Judy could possibly return my feelings. If she does, could we have kits of our own? Could I love someone else’s kits as my own? _ ” Thinking of the time spent with Judy and the kits yesterday brought a smile, tugging his lips upward.  _ “Yeah, I could.” _ Before he realized it, he was standing in front of her door.  _ “Well, here goes nothing.” _

 

(Judy’s POV)

 

“Judy, I-”

 

“Please.” Judy felt the ragged way she was breathing shake her entire body. Yet, there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her vision was bordered in black as she focused on not letting the panic take hold of her again. She needed focus, something to center herself on. Her choices were before her. Nick or the kits. A voice in her mind kept whispering in her ear.

 

_ He doesn’t want you. You’re broken, useless, dead weight, excess baggage.  _

 

She had to fight to keep from sobbing as his expression changed to one of defeat and he sulked away with his head hung low. When he looked back over his shoulder her body froze.

 

“Good night.” With the final click of the door, she couldn’t hold her tears back any further. Now she sat in the corner of the floor mattress, wrapped in a blanket. Her eyes red and stinging from crying, the fur on her face matted and soaked from repeatedly brushing away tears. Eileen and Logan and returned early that morning to help feed the kits. Her sister had been furious when they found her crying. Assuming that Nick had done something to hurt her. Judy only told her that Nick didn’t do anything wrong and wouldn’t say any more on the matter. After helping to change and feed the kits, the two left to do other chores and spend time together. Judy envied them. 

 

Since her panic had subsided, all she could think of was how she’d ruined any hope she may of had of even being  _ friends _ with Nick. Now she simply wrapped herself in the blanket as she hugged the toy fox to her chest, watching the kits roam around. They were always most active early in the morning. They crawled and occasionally hopped as they explored the interior of the mattress. Normally, Judy would set them out to roam the entire room, watching as they explored and found new things to discover. Today, she simply didn’t have the desire as her mind paced in circles.

 

_ He doesn’t love me. How could anyone love me. I’m useless and broken. I’d only be excess baggage. I’ll never be a cop again. He’d only leave me and the kits. I wouldn’t blame him. Who could possibly- _

 

**KNOCK KNOCK**

 

The sound of someone knocking at the door sounded... off. As if they were tapping the surface of the wood in the wrong place. The sound had interrupted her thoughts, but Judy was in no mood for company. 

 

_ “It's probably just mom.”  _ She thought, believing Eileen had gone and spoken to their mother after seeing her so upset. So, she remained silent. 

 

On the other side of the door, Nick stood for several moments as he waited for permission to enter. He didn't want to startle her by just barging in unannounced. Time seemed to drag on forever as he waited in vain to be invited in. He started to feel awkward at just standing in the hallway holding a plate of sliced strawberries. He’d had a couple of Judy’s siblings walk by or glance his way when entering and exiting the other rooms. The idea of leaving started to pull on his conscious thoughts, till something Bonnie said came to mind.

 

_ “He was there for me every day, whether I wanted him there or not.” _ Nick closed his eyes and took a deep, long breath, exhaling the tension and self doubt from his body. When he opened his eyes again they were aglow with a burning determination. He opened the door.

 

When no one opened the door immediately, Judy just shrugged it off.

 

_ “No one would want to spend time with me anyway.” _

 

So she settled her mind to once again watch the kits as they explored and played with one another. Till the door suddenly cracked open. The first thing she noticed was the taller than usual shadow created by the hallway light. Followed by the long slender muzzle that peaked inside before a red and white furred head appeared. Before her mind could really grasp what was happening, Nick was speaking.

 

“Hey.” She just blinked.

 

_ “He came back. Why did he come back?”  _

 

“Can I come in?” Her nose twitched a few times. 

 

She noticed his ears were pressed back and he kept his muzzle low.  _ “Does he think I’m mad at him? I did tell him to leave. Does he think he did something wrong?” _

 

This was starting to feel more invasive than what he was hoping for. He stepped in and closed the door, standing there nervously as he turned the plate in his paws. 

 

“I, uh, brought some strawberries.” He held the dish where she could plainly see the cut fruit laid out on the plate in his paw. “I’ll just set it here.” He stepped next to the couch and set the plate down on the side table. He stepped back into the center of the room and just stood there looking away for a moment as he tried to think of what to say next. Everything he’d come up with had all depended on her reactions, or at least her speaking to him. Now he felt making a gesture of friendship might be enough for now and he could try again later.

 

“Well, um... I guess I should be going.” He took a step towards the door, intending to tell her he’d be back soon to check on her when he was suddenly struck in the abdomen by a gray furred missile. 

 

“Oof!”

 

“Nick-I’m-so-sorry-I-don’t”

“Fluff.” 

  
“want-you-to-go-please-stay” 

“Carrots.” 

  
“I-promise-I’ll-never-ask” 

“Fluff.” 

 

“you-to-leave-again!-I-” 

“JUDY!”

 

Judy finally pulled back enough to look up at him, fresh tears falling from her eyes as he held her shoulders.

 

“I don’t want you to leave.” She whispered, voice cracking. His response was to wrap his arms around her as best his height difference would allow, bending slightly to rest the tip of his muzzle between her ears, as he softly breathed in her ear.

 

“I’m not going anywhere.” 


	6. Happy Endings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! Who thought you'd see me so soon? I couldn't wait till next week to share this so here's and early whatever holiday present. So this is it. The end of our Journey. I feel both sad and happy at the same time.

Nick sat in the center of a crescent moon shaped table. He wore his uniform, as well as an apron that said "Kiss the Chef". Along the outer curvature of the table, in their own seats built into the table, sat eleven bunny kits. Nick worked his magic, entertaining and getting them to eat at the same time. It always made him feel a little smug knowing it was one of the few things he was better at doing than Judy. That and cooking. There were other things in their relationship that he took great pride in, but those items were best left in the bedroom. The eight bedroom house was located in the Meadowlands district. The open fields were more to their liking, and the schools were good. It had originally been a four bedroom designed for large cats. They'd had it remodeled to increase the number of rooms, as well as scale down everything to their size. It also meant they had a plethora of storage space. It was a bit draining on Nick's stock holdings that he had to cash in to pay for everything, but to him it was well worth it.

It'd been nearly a year since Judy awoke from her coma. It was a hard road, both physically, mentally and emotionally to get back to where she was before the accident. The day Nick brought her those strawberries he made a promise, to stand by her no matter what she decided she wanted to do. Ten minutes later, she was on the phone with Bogo asking to rescind her resignation. He'd simply replied with "What resignation?" followed by the sound of a paper shredder. Judy still had to pass a psych evaluation as well as a physical test. Nick's partner Joe and his wife Kristy were a great help with that. Often watching the kits with their own while Nick worked out with Judy, motivating the doe. After a couple of months he was wondering who was helping who as Judy quickly regained her former strength and started surpassing him again. Her greatest struggle was psychological with the flashbacks. In time- and with the help of a good therapist, Judy gained control of her psyche once more.

Now, today was the day. Judy's evaluation. Despite his outward display of goofy happiness, Nick was a bundle of nerves that kept glancing up at the clock. Trying to ti-

The click and sound of the door opening signaled Judy's return. He did a quick scan to make sure the kits would be okay long enough for him to meet Judy halfway from the kitchen. The moment he saw her, he knew the answer to his question. Judy was standing in the middle of the living room, practically vibrating with excitement.

"You-" Was all he managed to say before she answered.

"YES!" With that exclamation she leapt up at him. Wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso, burying her face into his fuzzy neck. After regaining his balance, he wrapped his arms around her smaller frame and nuzzled her back, whispering into her ear.

"I knew you could do it."

"I love you, Nick."

"I love you, Judy."

In another part of the city, in the penthouse office suite of the tallest building in Zootopia, a white hare with black stripes watched through a telescope as a grey bunny doe with familiar black markings walked into her home. With a smile he whispered to himself.

"She looks just like her." His smile became a frown at the memory of lost love.

" _Perhaps it's time to move on."_  He thought just as his desk phone began to ring. He left the window and walked to the desk. It was the receptionist down stairs, no doubt informing him someone was asking to come up.

"Yes?"

"Sorry to bother you, mister Savage, but there's a Skye Winters here to see you."

"Send her up, please." He ended the call. With a final glance in the direction of the house filled with kits he'd spent nearly a year hunting down, he released a sad sigh.

" _Take good care of them for me, and Jeanie."_

With a ding from the elevator, he turned his attention to the here and now.

" _Well, I can't wait to see what brute the Roarssians have sent this time."_  He thought with annoyance...

If he only knew.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read this story. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I've enjoyed reading your reviews. I want to give a big thanks to TOGDoesStuff for editing and helping to bring this story to life. I know that it may not be the ending that some of you were hoping for. Okay probably all of you wanted more fluff but I'm afraid this'll have to do. So what do you think of the little teaser at the end? I'm afraid I don't plan on a sequel to this story or expanding the ending scene with Jack and Skye. Sorry. Anyway, thanks again for checking this out and see you around.

**Author's Note:**

> I want to thank you the reader for taking the time to read this little side story. And my followers for hanging around. Big thanks to TOGdoesStuff for taking the time to edit and make suggestions. Lastly I'd like to thank Mister_Smail, MysteryGirl22 and captainKelrin(on FFN) for letting me borrow their OC's Flo the hare nurse, Orchid the Chinchilla and Kristy the bobcat.


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